UNION LEADERS have said there cannot be different rules for pay increases in the health sector under the proposed new national wage agreement than in other areas of the public sector.
The Irish Timesreported yesterday that the Health Service Executive has signalled it wants to generate funding to meet the cost of the 3.5 per cent pay increase through work-practice reforms and efficiency savings.
But health union leaders told the HSE yesterday the proposed national pay deal contained provisions for the entire public service and in no other area had moves been made to link pay increases to work-practice reforms.
The HSE has estimated the 3.5 per cent increase would cost €112 million.
